Tufted pile fabrics and method of making same

ABSTRACT

A tufted pile fabric and method of making the same in which rows of pile tufts are formed extending upwardly from the upper face of a backing fabric or base and have lower bights at least partially positioned above the plane of the lower face of the backing fabric to permit use of less pile yarn for obtaining any given height of pile. Also, a plurality of stitching threads are positioned along the lower face of the backing fabric and portions of the stitching threads are inserted through the lower bights of the tufts to secure them to the backing fabric.

United States Patent 1191 Maclsaac, Jr. et a].

1 51 Mar. 27, 1973 TUF'I'ED PILE FABRICS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME [75]Inventors: John T. Maclsaac, Jr.; James E.

Troy, both of Eden, NC.

[52] US. Cl ..112/410, 66/85 A, 112/266 [51] Int. Cl ..D05c 17/02 [58]Field of Search ..112/79 R, 79 A, 266, 410; 66/85 A; 139/391, 399

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,075,481 1/1963 Stratton..112/79 R 1,827,614 10/1931 Riviere ....1 121266 X 3,013,511 12/1961Nebich ..112/79 R 3,026,830 3/1962 Bryant et al. ..112/79 R 3,253,4265/1966 Mauersberger... ..112/79 R 3,336,178 8/1967 Levitch ..112/410 X3,361,096 1/1968 Watkins ..112/79 R 3,421,929 l/l969 Watkins .1 12/79 R3,428,007 2/1969 Wignall et a1 ..112/79 R FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 813,439 5/1959 Great Britain ..1 12/79 R PrimaryExaminer-James R. Boler Attorney-Parrott, Bel], Seltzer, Park & GibsonABSTRACT A tufted pile fabric and method of making the same in whichrows of pile tufts are formed extending upwardly from the upper face ofa backing fabric or base and have lower bights at least partiallypositioned above the plane of the lower face of the backing fabric topermit use of less pile yarn for obtaining any given height of pile.Also, a plurality of stitching threads are positioned along the lowerface of the backing fabric and portions of the stitching threads areinserted through the lower bights of the tufts to secure them to thebacking fabric.

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SHEET 2 or 3 7 INVENTORS JOHN T. MACISAAQ,J2. and JAME-s E. TsaoYATTORNEYS ift PATENTEDHARZ'IISTB SHEET 3 BF 3 INVENTORS.

m mwm E Mam MJ N w 0M5 J m W TUFTED PILE FABRICS AND METHOD OF MAKINGSAME This invention relates to improvements in tufted pile fabrics ofthe type wherein the lower bights of pile yarn tufts are secured to abase of woven, non-woven or knitted fabric by a stitching threadinterlooped with such lower bights, and it is an object of thisinvention to provide such a tufted pile fabric and a method of makingthe same wherein the tufts are secured to the base in such a manner asto substantially reduce the amount of pile yarn required to form pile ofa given height as compared to the amount of pile yarn used heretofore informing tufted pile fabrics It is a more specific object of thisinvention to provide a tufted pile fabric, whose tufts may be of commonor varying heights, in the form of cut or uncut, or partially cut piletufts, and wherein the upper surfaces of the lower bights of the piletufts are positioned above the plane of the lower face of the backingfabric with stitching threads extending along beneath the backingfabric, and portions of the stitching threads extending upwardly intothe plane of the backing fabric and through the lower bights of thetufts to secure the tufts to the backing fabric. The pile tufts mayextend a relatively short distance into the backing fabric or bedisposed entirely above the backing fabric, thereby further reducing theamount of pile yarn required to form pile tufts of a given height.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a method ofmaking tufted pile fabrics of the character described which includessuccessively forming each of a plurality of pile yarns into alongitudinal row of pile tufts on the upper face of a backing fabric,while successively inserting the pile yarns through the backing fabricto form lower bight portions on the tufts. While the lower bightportions are being formed, stitching threads are positioned alongsidethe lower face of the backing fabric and through the successive lowerbight portions to secure the tufts to the backing fabric, while eachsuccessive lower bight portion is displaced upwardly by drawing the pileyarns upwardly relative to the backing fabric so that portions of thestitching threads passing through the corresponding lower bight portionsare displaced upwardly into the backing fabric. The tufts may be in theform of zig-zag pile loops with aiternate lower bights in each row ofloops being off-set laterally from intervening lower bights in the samerow, or with all of the lower bights of each row of loops being insubstantially longitudinal alignment with each other.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated,others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. I is a diagrammatic planview of one embodiment of the fabric of this invention show the piletufts of each warpwise or longitudinal row in the form of raised loopsof continuous pile yarn with the lower bights of the tufts being alignedin each such row;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the fabric of FIG. 1showing a stitching thread securing a row of tufts to the backing fabricwith the upper surfaces of the lower bights of the tufts positionedwithin the backing fabric;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic bottom view of a portion of the pile fabric ofFIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but wherein the tuft lower bightsextend into the backing fabric to a lesser extent than in FIG. 2;

FIG. Sis a view similar to FIG. 4, but wherein the tuft lower bights areentirely above the backing fabric;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of another embodiment of the tuftedpile fabric wherein the pile tufts in each longitudinal row are in theform of zig-zag loops with successive lower bights thereof positioned instaggered relationship;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic bottom view of a portion of the pile fabric ofFIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through a tufted pile fabricsimilar to that shown in FIG. 6, but wherein adjacent pile loop rowsoriginally formed of respective different types of pile yarns have beensevered so that the resulting alternate U-shaped tufts are formed of adifferent type of pile yarn from that of which intervening U-shapedtufts in the same row are formed;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section through the fabric of FIG. 6illustrating variant height pile tufts with the upper surfaces of thelower bights thereof positioned within the backing fabric as in FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but showing the tuft lower bightsin an intermediate position; i.e., with the lower bights extending intothe backing fabric to a lesser extent than in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIGS. 9 and 10, but showing the tufts inU-shaped form with their lower bights entirely above the backing fabric.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, although severalrepresentative embodiments of the tufted pile fabric of this inventionare shown, all illustrated embodiments are characterized in that thelower bight of each pile tuft formed from the pile yarns has at leastthe upper surface thereof positioned above the plane of the lower orback face of the backing fabric or base, and stitching threads extendingalong the lower face of the backing fabric have stitch portionsextending upwardly into the plane of the backing fabric and through thelower bights of the pile tufts to secure the tufts to the base fabric.

The tufted fabrics may be formed according to the method of thisinvention by apparatus such as is disclosed in our copending applicationSer. No. l l0,85 I, (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,206) filed concurrentlyherewith and entitled APPARATUS FOR MAKING TUFTED FABRICS, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. As shown inFIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings, the apparatus includes tuftforminginstrumentalities arranged in a lateral row transversely of the path oftravel of a base or backing fabric 15 of any desired woven, nonwoven orknitted construction. Only one set of the tuftforming instrumentalitiesis shown and comprises a vertically movable, pointed tufting needle 10,a substantially horizontally movable latch needle 11 provided with adownwardly facing hook 11a and a latch 11!: thereon, a laterally andvertically movable stitching thread guide 12, and a pile former or pilewire 13.

A relatively highly tensioned pile yarn P extends downwardly from asuitable source through the eye of each tufting needle 10, and arelatively small and relatively loosely tensioned stitching thread Sextends from a suitable source through the eye of thread guide 12. Eachpile yarn P may include one or more textile strands of any desirednatural and/or synthetic fibers suitable to provide the desired pilesurface on the upper face of the fabric. Each stitching thread S ispreferably of a translucent synthetic monofilament material and is ofsubstantially smaller size than the pile yarns P so as to be barelyvisible and present very little projection along the lower face ofbacking fabric 15.

In each cycle, tufting needle 10 loops pile yarn I over pile former l3and moves downwardly to penetrate backing fabric 15. Latch needle 11then moves from left to right in FIG. 2 and through the lower bight ofpile yarn to the position shown preparatory to thread guide 12 movinglaterally from adjacent and below one side of the plane of latch needle11 to the opposite side thereof. While moving laterally, thread guide 12also moves upwardly to position thread S in hook 11a of needle 11. In sodoing stitching thread extends from a previously formed pile yarn lowerbight, past one side of the lower bight then penetrated by latch needle11, and through hook 110.

Tufting needle moves upwardly through backing fabric and above the levelof pile former 13 as latch needle 11 is moving inwardly, receivingthread S in the hook 11a thereof and then starts movement to the left inFIG. 2. Needle 10 then again lays pile yarn over and across pile former13 and, as needle 10 again starts downwardly, latch needle 11 drawsstitching thread S through the last previously formed lower bight ofpile yarn and through the immediately preceding loop of thread S duringwhich latch 11b is closed by the loops through which latch needle 11 isbeing withdrawn. Thus, as tufting needle moves downwardly, since pileyarn P is under relatively high tension, the pulling of the pile yarn Pover pile former 13 causes pile yarn P to be pulled upwardly so that thelast formed lower bight of the pile yarn is raised into or entirelyabove the backing fabric and so that at least the upper surface of thelower bight is positioned above the plane of the lower face of thebacking fabric.

At the same time, the last formed lower bight pulls the loop ofstitching thread last cast off of latch needle 11 upwardly against thelower face of backing fabric 15 while causing a portion of the stitchingthread S to extend upwardly into or through backing fabric 15, as thecase may be. Between or during needle punctures, the backing fabric isadvanced to the left in FIG. 2 and each of the pile yarns P is laid overpile former 13 which determines the length or height of each pile tuftabove backing fabric 15.

The laying of pile yarns over the pile formers may be effected bylaterally shifting the pile formers relative to the tufting needles,either with or independently of the backing fabric, or by laterallyshifting the tufting needles relative to the pile formers either with orrelative to the backing fabric. The pile formers may be of the same ordifferent heights or each of certain or all of the pile formers may beprovided with loop-forming stages of different heights (as in FIG. 9)selectively movable into loop-forming position to form variant-heighttufts widthwise and/or lengthwise of the fabric. Also, some or all ofthe tufts of a given height or of varying heights may be cut, or all ofthe tufts may be in loop form.

The first embodiment of the fabric of this invention is shown in FIGS.1, 2 and 3 and comprises the base or backing fabric 15 which, by way ofexample, is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in the form of a woven fabric of warpyarns 15a and weft yarns 15b denoting respective lengthwise andwidthwise dimensions of the fabric. Secured to backing fabric 15 is aplurality of lengthwise extending longitudinal rows of tufts 16 of pileyarns P. Tufts 16 are shown in the form of closed or uncut loops inFIGS. 1 and 2, and the upper bights 16a thereof are raised; i.e., upperbights are spaced a predetermined distance above the upper face ofbacking fabric 15. In this particular embodiment, each lengthwise row oftufts 16 is formed from a continuous pile yarn.

All of the lower bights 16b of each lengthwise row of tufts 16 aredisposed in lengthwise alignment with each other and are secured tobacking fabric 15 by a common stitching thread S; i.e., a separatecontinuous stitching thread S is provided for each lengthwise row oftufts 16. In this particular embodiment, the lower bight portions of thepile yarns extend through to the lower face of the backing fabric, butthe upper surface of each lower bight 16b is positioned within thebacking fabric so that such upper surface is positioned below the planeof the upper face of the backing fabric and above the plane of the lowerface of the backing fabric. However, the bottom surfaces of the lowerbights 16b may be flush with or protrude slightly below the lower faceof the backing fabric.

Each stitching thread forms a closed loop stitch 17 (FIG. 3)interconnecting each respective adjacent pair of lower bights 161;, witha portion of each stitch extending upwardly into the plane of thebacking fabric and being looped through each respective lower bight 16bof the adjacent pair. However, the major portions of the stitches 17extend entirely below and along the lower face of the backing fabric 15to form chain stitching. As preferred, each chain stitch 17 is in theform of a loop whose two leg portions extend through the loop of thenext adjacent chain stitch and through the adjacent lower bight 16b ofthe pile yarn such that adjacent leg portions of immediately adjacentpairs of tufts are encompassed by the respective chain stitches 17 atthe lower bights 16b. This embodiment of the fabric-may be formed byshifting a pile former 13 for each row of tufts 16 from side to siderelative to the backing fabric 15 and respective tufting and stitchingneedles 10, 11, or by shifting laterally the backing fabric 15 and thetufting and stitching needles relative to the pile formers 13. In eitherevent the pile formers may bend or slightly upset the loops thereoverduring relative lateral shifting movement between the backing fabric 15and the pile formers because the free front end portions of the pileformers are disposed within a few of the loops previously formedthereover.

Because of such relative lateral shifting movement, the upper bights 16aof the tufts 16 extend generally crosswise of the longitudinal rows andin substantially zig-zag relationship therealong. Although all of thetufts 16 are shown in loop form in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper bights 16aof some or all of the tufts 16 may be severed, if desired (See FIG. 8).Such severing of the tufts may be effected, for example, by providingcutting blades on the free ends of certain or all of the pile formers 13or by passing the fabric through a suitable shearing apparatus.

The fabrics shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 may be formed in essentially the samemanner as the fabric of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and will therefore, bear thesame reference characters where applicable. The fabric of FIG. 4 differsfrom that of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 only in that the lower bights 16b of thepile tufts in FIG. 4 occupy an intermediate position relative to thebacking fabric 15. In other words, the lower surfaces of the tuft lowerbights 16b are spaced above the plane of the lower face of the backingfabric, and the upper surfaces of the tuft lower bights 16b may besubstantially flush with or slightly below the plane of the upper faceof the backing fabric 15.

The fabric of FIG. 5 differs from the fabrics of FIGS. 1-3 and 4 in thatthe pile tufts are entirely above the backing fabric. Thus, the lowersurfaces of the tuft lower bights bear against the upper face of thebacking fabric, and the stitch portions of the corresponding stitchingthread S extend upwardly through the backing fabric and through the tuftlower bights 16b above the upper face of the backing fabric 15.

The fabric of FIGS. 6 and 7, like the fabrics of FIGS. 1-5, includes abacking fabric which may include interwoven warp yarns 15a and weftyarns 15b, with longitudinal rows of loop pile tufts 16' being formedfrom pile yarns P secured to the backing fabric 15' by stitching threadsS extending along the lower face of the backing fabric and through thelower bights 16b of the tufts 16'. However, instead of all of the lowerbights 16b of each row of loop pile tufts being in longitudinalalignment, as in FIGS. 1-5, the upper bights 16a of the loops in eachlongitudinal row extend over and across corresponding warp yarns 15a andthe alternate lower bights 16b are staggered or off-set laterally fromthe intervening lower bights 16b of. the same longitudinal row of looppile tufts.

Thus, in each longitudinal row of loop pile tufts 16', alternate lowerbights thereof are in substantially longitudinal alignment with eachother, and intervening lower bights thereof are in longitudinalalignment with each other and are offset laterally from the latteralternate lower bights. As preferred, the alternate lower bights of anygiven longitudinal row of loop pile tufts, such as the centermostlongitudinal row in FIG. 6, are positioned between and in substantiallylongitudinal alignment with intervening lower bights of the immediatelyadjacent longitudinal row of tufts on one side thereof. Similarly, theintervening lower bights of said given row are positioned between and insubstantially longitudinal alignment with alternate lower bights of theimmediately adjacent row of tufts on the other side thereof.

It can be appreciated, therefore, that each longitudinal row of lowerbights at the juncture of two immediately adjacent longitudinal rows ofloop pile tufts 16' is a composite row of lower bights in that it hascertain or alternate lower bights formed from a different pile yarn thanthat of which certain other or intervening lower bights are formed.Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a separate stitching thread S extendingalong the lower face of the backing fabric serves to secure each suchcomposite row of lower bights to the backing fabric.

The lower bights 16b of the tufts in each longitudinal row may occupyany of the positions occupied by the lower bights 16b in FIGS. 2, 4 and5. Thus, at least the upper surfaces of the lower bights 16b arepositioned above the plane of the lower face of backing fabric 15', andthe stitching threads S have stitch portions 17' extending upwardly fromthe lower surface of the backing fabric into the plane thereof andthrough lower bights 16b to secure the tufts 16' to the backing fabric15'.

The fabric of FIGS. 6 and 7 may be formed by advancing the backingfabric through the tufting machine as in FIG. 2 and moving the tuftingneedles I0 laterally in one direction over respective pile formers 13preceding alternate needle punctures and by moving the tufting needleslaterally in the opposite direction preceding intervening needlepunctures. Alternatively, instead of laterally shifting the tuftingneedles 10, it is apparent that the backing fabric, stitching needles 11and pile formers 13 may be shifted laterally relative to the tuftingneedles It).

The fabric of FIG. 8 may evolve from the fabric of FIGS. 6 and 7utilizing at least two different types of pile yarns for forming atleast two respective immediately adjacent longitudinal rows of zig-zagloop pile tufts I6, and thereafter severing the upper bights of thetufts. Thus, the fabric of FIG. 8 comprises a backing fabric 115 towhich the lower bight portions 11Gb of a plurality of longitudinal rowsof substantially Ushaped or cut pile yarn tufts 116 are secured, onlyone of the longitudinal rows being shown in FIG. 8 representing each ofa plurality of rows. Certain or alternate U-shaped tufts 116 in the rowshown are formed from a pile yarn of different type or characteristicsthan certain other or intervening U-shaped tufts in the same row.Assuming, for example, that alternate longitudinal rows of loop piletufts 16' in FIG. 6 are formed from pile yarns of differentcharacteristics than intervening longitudinal rows, upon severing theloop pile tufts 16 of the fabric of FIGS. 6 and 7 to form the fabric ofFIG. 8, it is apparent that the latter fabric then will includetransverse or weftwise rows of U- shaped tufts 116 of differentcharacteristics as well as longitudinal rows thereof. In other words,certain or alternate U-shaped tufts 116 in each transverse row would beof different character than certain other or intervening U-shaped tuftsin the same transverse rows. The pile yarns used in forming therespective tufts of relatively different characteristics may differ asto texture, composition, color, size or in any desired manner.

The longitudinal rows of lower bight portions [16b may be secured tobacking fabric 115 in FIG. 8 by respective stitching threads 84 in thesame manner as I any of the rows of lower bights heretofore described,

with particular reference to FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 7. As shown in FIG. 8,the lower surfaces of lower bight portions 11Gb are substantially flushwith the lower face of backing fabric 115, and the upper surfaces oflower bight portions 1161: are positioned above the plane of the lowerface of backing fabric 115, for example.

The fabrics of FIGS. 9 and 10 differ from those heretofore described byhaving longitudinal rows of variant-height loop pile tufts. Thesefabrics may be formed in the manner of the fabric of FIGS. 6 and 7 withthe exception that stepped pile formers 13a (FIG. 9) may be employed andselectively shifted longitudinally relative to the tufting needles andthe backing fabric 20 to present loop-forming stages of differentheights to the loop-forming zone of the tufting machine. As shown inFIG. 9, the pile former 130 has a low stage 21 on its free forward endand a relatively high stage 22 spaced rearwardly from the free end ofthe pile former and over which respective relatively short or low looppile tufts 23 and relatively high or long loop pile tufts 24 are formedin any desired order. The lower bights or bight portions 25 arepositioned in and secured to backing fabric 20 by stitching threads 26in FIG. 9 in the same manner as described with respect to FIG. 2 andtherefore need not be further described. It should be noted that norobbing" of pile yarn from preceding loops occurs in the forming ofsuccessive loops in order to obtain the desired heights thereof, becausethe loop pile tufts are formed over predetermined pile-forming surfacesof the pile formers. This ensures that there is clear line ofdemarcation between adjacent pile tufts of different heights in each rowthereof.

The fabric of FIG. is substantially the same as that of FIG. 11, withthe exception that the tuft lower bights are positioned in and securedto the backing fabric in the manner described with respect to FIG. 4.Accordingly, like parts in FIGS. 9 and 10 bear the same referencecharacters and a further description of the fabric of FIG. 10 is deemedunnecessary.

The fabric of FIG. 11 also comprises a backing fabric 200 to which thelower bights 25a of rows of cut pile tufts may be secured by respectivestitching yarns 26a in the manner described with respect to any of FIGS.2, 4 or 5. In this instance, the tuft lower bights 25a are shownentirely above the backing fabric 200. The fabric of FIG. 11 may beformed substantially in the manner of the fabric of FIG. 9 after whichthe loop pile tufts may be severed to form two rows of variant-heightU-shaped or cut pile tufts from any given row of loop pile tuftspreviously formed as in FIG. 9, each row including relatively low orshort U-shaped tufts 23a and relatively high or longer U-shaped tufts24a arranged in any desired order. J-shaped tufts also may be provided,such as the .I-shaped tuft 27 in FIG. 11, having one leg of the tuftlonger than the other.

In the drawings and specification, there have been set forth preferredembodiments of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation.

We claim:

1. A tufted pile fabric comprising a backing fabric, pile yarn tuftsextending upwardly from the upper face of said backing fabric andarranged in a plurality of Iongitudinal rows thereon with at least someof said tufts being in the form of loop pile tufts, said tufts havinglower bight portions with at least the upper surfaces thereof beingpositioned above the plane of the lower face of said backing fabric, anda plurality of stitching threads extending along said lower face of saidbacking fabric and having stitch portions extending upwardly into theplane of said backing fabric and through said lower bight portions ofsaid tufts to secure the tufts to the backing fabric.

2. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein said stitchingthreads are substantially smaller than the pile yarns of which saidtufts are formed.

3. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the lower surfacesof said lower bight portions also are positioned above the plane of saidlower face of said backing fabric.

4. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the lower surfacesof said lower bight portions are positioned upon said upper face of saidbacking fabric, and wherein said stitch portions of said stitchingthreads extend through said backing fabric so as to extend through saidlower bight portions of said tufts.

5. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein said tufts are ofvarying heights.

6. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein at least some ofsaid tufts are in the form of cut pile tufts.

7. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein said tufts are inthe form of rows of pile loops, each row being formed of a continuouspile yarn, all of the lower bight portions of any given row of pileloops being substantially in longitudinal alignment, and said stitchingthreads comprising a separate stitching thread forming a row of chainstitches for each row of bight portions.

8. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the tufts in atleast one of said rows include a series of substantially U-shaped tuftswith all the legs of the U- shaped tufts in said series beingsubstantially aligned along the corresponding row.

9. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 8, wherein certain of theU-shaped tufts in said series are formed from a different type of pileyarn than certain other U- shaped tufts in said series.

10. A tufted fabric according to Claim 1, wherein at least some of thetufts in said longitudinal rows are substantially U-shaped with frontand rear opposing legs projecting upwardly from each lower bightportion, certain tufts in each of at least some of said longitudinalrows being formed from one type of pile yarn, and cer tain other tuftsin the same rows being formed from a different type of pile yarn.

11. A tufted fabric according to claim 10, wherein said stitchingthreads comprise a separate stitching thread interconnecting the lowerbight portions of the tufts in each respective longitudinal row.

12. A tufted pile fabric according to claim I, wherein each longitudinalrow of tufts is formed from a continuous pile yarn with upper bightsthereof extending back and forth in alternation in a generally zig-zagmanner, and wherein all of the lower bight portions of each row of tuftsare disposed in longitudinal alignment with each other.

13. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein said tufts are inthe form of longitudinal rows of zig-zag pile loops, the loops in eachrow being formed of a continuous pile yarn, and alternate lower bightportions of each row of pile loops being offset laterally fromintervening lower bight portions thereof.

14. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 13, wherein alternate lowerbight portions of at least one of said longitudinal rows arelongitudinally aligned with intervening lower bight portions of animmediately adjacent row.

15. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 14, wherein said stitchingthreads comprise a separate continuous stitching thread of chainstitches interconnecting the alternate lower bight portions of said oneof said longitudinal rows of pile loops with the intervening lower bightportions of said immediately adjacent row.

16. A tufted pile fabric comprising a backing fabric, a plurality ofsubstantially parallel longitudinal rows of loop pile tufts extendingupwardly from the upper face of said backing fabric, each row of tuftsbeing formed from a continuous pile yarn with the upper bights thereofextending back and forth in alternation in a generally zig-zag manner,each row of tufts having lower bight portions with alternate lower bightportions offset laterally from intervening lower bight portions thereof,the alternate lower bight portions in at least one of said longitudinalrows of loop pile tufts being longitudinally aligned with interveninglower bight portions of an immediately adjacent row and a plurality ofstitching threads extending along the lower face of said backing fabricand having stitch portions extending through said lower bight portionsto secure the loop pile tufts to the backing fabric.

17. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 16, wherein said stitchingthreads comprise a common stitching thread whose stitch portions extendthrough and interconnect those alternate lower bight portions of said atleast one of said longitudinal rows of loop pile tufts with saidintervening lower bight portions of said immediately adjacent row.

18. A tufted pile fabric comprising a backing fabric, substantiallyU-shaped pile yarn tufts extending up wardly from the upper face of saidbacking fabric and arranged in a plurality of longitudinal rows thereon,each tuft having a lower bight portion and front and rear opposing legsprojecting upwardly from the lower bight portion thereof, all of thefront and rear legs and the lower bight portions of the tufts in eachlongitudinal row being disposed in longitudinal alignment, at least theupper surfaces of said lower bight portions being positioned above theplane of the lower face of said backing fabric, stitching threadsforming rows of chain stitches extending along the lower face of saidbacking fabric and having stitch portions extending through said lowerbight portions to secure the tufts to said backing fabric, certain tuftsin each of at least some of said longitudinal rows being formed from onetype of pile yarn, and certain other tufts in the same rows being formedfrom a different type of pile yarn.

19. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 18, wherein said stitchingthreads comprise a separate stitching thread forming a row of stitchportions interconnecting and extending through the lower bight portionsof the tufts in each respective longitudinal row.

20. A tufted pile fabric comprising abacking fabric, tufts of pile yarnextending upwardly from the upper face of said backing fabric andarranged in longitudinal rows thereon, said tufts having lower bightswith at least the upper surfaces of the lower bights positioned abovethe plane of the lower face of said backing fabric, a plurality ofstitching threads of substantially translucent synthetic materialextending along the lower face of said backing fabric and forming rowsof chain stitches having stitch portions thereof extending upwardly intothe plane of said backing fabric and through said lower bights of saidtufts to secure the tufts to the backing fabric, and said stitchingthreads being of relatively small size as compared to the size of saidpile yarns so as to be barely visible against the lower face of thebacking fabric and to presentvery little projection on the lower face ofthe backing fabric.

21. A method of making tufted pile fabrics permitting use of less pileyarn for obtaining any given height of pile; said method comprisingsuccessively forming each of a plurality of pile yarns into alongitudinal row of pile tufts on the upper face of the backing fabric,while successively inserting the pile yarns through the backing fabricto form lower bight portions on the tufts, while positioning stitchingthreads alongside the lower face of the backing fabric and through thesuccessive lower bight portions to secure the tufts to the backingfabric, and while upwardly displacing each successive lower bightportion by drawing the pile yarns upwardly relative to the backingfabric so that portions of the stitching threads passing through thecorresponding lower bight portions are displaced up wardly into thebacking fabric.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the step of successivelyinserting the pile yarns through the backing fabric includessuccessively inserting each pile yarn at substantially longitudinallyaligned points such that the lower bight portions of each row of tuftsare positioned in a corresponding longitudinal row, and the step ofpositioning the stitching threads comprising positioning a commonstitching thread through the successive lower bight portions of each rowthereof.

23. A method according to claim 21 wherein the tufts are formed as loopsand further including severing at least some of the loops to formsubstantially U- shaped pile tufts therefrom.

24. A method according to claim 21, in which the step of upwardlydisplacing each successive lower bight portion includes drawing the pileyarns upwardly to a position entirely above the upper face of thebacking fabric so that the lower bight portions are positioned upon theupper face of the backing fabric.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein the step of positioning thestitching threads comprises looping a portion of each stitching thread,extending from a previously formed lower bight portion, around one legof a next succeeding lower bight portion and through the same, and thendrawing the looped portion of the stitching thread through a previouslyformed loop portion thereof, also extending from the said previouslyformed lower bight portion, so as to form a stitch interconnecting thepreviously formed and next succeeding lower bight portions.

26. A method according to claim 21, in which the forming of the pileyarns into pile tufts, the upward displacing of each successive lowerbight portion and the inserting of the pile yarns through the backingfabric collectively comprise drawing each pile yarn upwardly and thenover and across a corresponding pile former and then inserting the samepile yarn downwardly through the backing fabric to form a correspondingloop over the pile former and to form a corresponding lower bightportion while tightening the pile yarn over the pile former to pullupwardly a lower bight portion previously formed from the same pile yarnwhile also pulling upwardly a portion of the stitching thread passingthrough the said previously formed lower bight portion.

27. A method according to claim 21, which includes looping each pileyarn over a respective pile former and effecting relative lateralmovement therebetween during the forming of the tufts so as to formzig-zag loop pile tufts in each row.

yarns through the backing fabric in longitudinal alignment withintervening lower bight portions of an immediately adjacent pile yarn ofdifferent characteristics than said one of the pile yarns, and thensevering zigzag loops in both rows thus formed to transform such rows ofloops into rows of cut pile tufts, with each of the rows thustransformed having longitudinally aligned, alternately arranged, cutpile tufts of different characteristics.

mil-use

1. A tufted pile fabric comprising a backing fabric, pile yarn tuftsextending upwardly from the upper face of said backing fabric andarranged in a plurality of longitudinal rows thereon with at least someof said tufts being in the form of loop pile tufts, said tufts havinglower bight portions with at least the upper surfaces thereof beingpositioned above the plane of the lower face of said backing fabric, anda plurality of stitching threads extending along said lower face of saidbacking fabric and having stitch portions extending upwardly into theplane of said backing fabric and through said lower bight portions ofsaid tufts to secure the tufts to the backing fabric.
 2. A tufted pilefabric according to claim 1, wherein said stitching threads aresubstantially smaller than the pile yarns of which said tufts areformed.
 3. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the lowersurfaces of said lower bight portions also are positioned above theplane of said lower face of said backing fabric.
 4. A tufted pile fabricaccording to claim 1, wherein the lower surfaces of said lower bightportions are positioned upon said upper face of said backing fabric, andwherein said stitch portions of said stitching threads extend throughsaid backing fabric so as to extend through said lower bight portions ofsaid tufts.
 5. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein saidtufts are of varying heights.
 6. A tufted pile fabric according to claim1, wherein at least some of said tufts are in the form of cut piletufts.
 7. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein said tuftsare in the form of rows of pile loops, each row being formed of acontinuous pile yarn, all of the lower bight portions of any given rowof pile loops being substantially in longitudinal alignment, and saidstitching threads comprising a separate stitching thread forming a rowof chain stitches for each row of bight portions.
 8. A tufted pilefabric according to claim 1, wherein the tufts in at least one of saidrows include a series of substantially U-shaped tufts with all the legsof the U-shaped tufts in said series being substantially aligned alongthe corresponding row.
 9. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 8,wherein certain of the U-shaped tufts in said series are formed from adifferent type of pile yarn than certain other U-shaped tufts in saidseries.
 10. A tufted fabric according to Claim 1, wherein at least someof the tufts in said longitudinal rows are substantially U-shaped withfront and rear opposing legs projecting upwardly from each lower bightportion, certain tufts in each of at least some of said longitudinalrows being formed from one type of pile yarn, and certain other tufts inthe same rows being formed from a different type of pile yarn.
 11. Atufted fabric according to claim 10, wherein said stitching threadscomprise a separate stitching thread interconnecting the lower bightportions of the tufts in each respective longitudinal row.
 12. A tuftedpile fabric according to claim 1, wherein each longitudinal row of tuftsis formed from a continuous pile yarn with upper bights thereofextending back and forth in alternation in a generally zig-zag manner,and wherein all of the lower bight portions of each row of tufts aredisposed in longitudinal alignment with each other.
 13. A tufted pilefabric according to claim 1, wherein said tufts are in the form oflongitudinal rows of zig-zag pile loops, the loops in each row beingformed of a continuous pile yarn, and alternate lower bight portions ofeach row of pile loops being offset laterally from intervening lowerbight portions thereof.
 14. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 13,wherein alternate lower bight portions of at least one of saidlongitudinal rows are longitudinally aligned with intervening lowerbight portions of an immediately adjacent row.
 15. A tufted pile fabricaccording to claim 14, wherein said stitching threads comprise aseparate continuous stitching thread of chain stitches interconnectingthe alternate lower bight portions of said one of said longitudinal rowsof pile loops with the intervening lower bight portions of saidimmediately adjacent row.
 16. A tufted pile fabric comprising a backingfabric, a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinal rows of looppile tufts extending upwardly from the upper face of said backingfabric, each row of tufts being formed from a continuous pile yarn withthe upper bights thereof extending back and forth in alternation in agenerally zig-zag manner, each row of tufts having lower bight portionswith alternate lower bight portions offset laterally from interveninglower bight portions thereof, the alternate lower bight portions in atleast one of said longitudinal rows of loop pile tufts beinglongitudinally aligned with intervening lower bight portions of animmediately adjacent row and a plurality of stitching threads extendingalong the lower face of said backing fabric and having stitch portionsextending through said lower bight portions to secure the loop piletufts to the backing fabric.
 17. A tufted pile fabric according to claim16, wherein said stitching threads comprise a common stitching threadwhose stitch portions extend through and interconnect those alternatelower bight portions of said at least one of said longitudinal rows ofloop pile tufts with said intervening lower bight portions of saidimmediately adjacent row.
 18. A tufted pile fabric comprising a backingfabric, substantially U-shaped pile yarn tufts extending upwardly fromthe upper face of said backing fabric and arranged in a plurality oflongitudinal rows thereon, each tuft having a lower bight portion andfront and rear opposing legs projecting upwardly from the lower bightportion thereof, all of the front and rear legs and the lower bightportions of the tufts in each longitudinal row being disposed inlongitudinal alignment, at least the upper surfaces of said lower bightportions being positioned above the plane of the lower face of saidbacking fabric, stitching threads forming rows of chain stitchesextending along the lower face of said backing fabric and having stitchportions extending through said lower bight portions to secure the tuftsto said backing fabric, certain tufts in each of at least some of saidlongitudinal rows being formed from one type of pile yarn, and certainother tufts in the same rows being formed from a different type of pileyarn.
 19. A tufted pile fabric according to claim 18, wherein saidstitching threads comprise a separate stitching thread forming a row ofstitch portions interconnecting and extending through the lower bightportions of the tufts in each respective longitudinal row.
 20. A tuftedpile fabric comprising a backing fabric, tufts of pile yarn extendingupwardly from the upper face of said backing fabric and arranged inlongitudinal rows thereon, said tufts having lower bights with at leastthe upper surfaces of the lower bights positioned above the plane of thelower face of said backing fabric, a plurality of stitching threads ofsubstantially tRanslucent synthetic material extending along the lowerface of said backing fabric and forming rows of chain stitches havingstitch portions thereof extending upwardly into the plane of saidbacking fabric and through said lower bights of said tufts to secure thetufts to the backing fabric, and said stitching threads being ofrelatively small size as compared to the size of said pile yarns so asto be barely visible against the lower face of the backing fabric and topresent very little projection on the lower face of the backing fabric.21. A method of making tufted pile fabrics permitting use of less pileyarn for obtaining any given height of pile; said method comprisingsuccessively forming each of a plurality of pile yarns into alongitudinal row of pile tufts on the upper face of the backing fabric,while successively inserting the pile yarns through the backing fabricto form lower bight portions on the tufts, while positioning stitchingthreads alongside the lower face of the backing fabric and through thesuccessive lower bight portions to secure the tufts to the backingfabric, and while upwardly displacing each successive lower bightportion by drawing the pile yarns upwardly relative to the backingfabric so that portions of the stitching threads passing through thecorresponding lower bight portions are displaced upwardly into thebacking fabric.
 22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the step ofsuccessively inserting the pile yarns through the backing fabricincludes successively inserting each pile yarn at substantiallylongitudinally aligned points such that the lower bight portions of eachrow of tufts are positioned in a corresponding longitudinal row, and thestep of positioning the stitching threads comprising positioning acommon stitching thread through the successive lower bight portions ofeach row thereof.
 23. A method according to claim 21 wherein the tuftsare formed as loops and further including severing at least some of theloops to form substantially U-shaped pile tufts therefrom.
 24. A methodaccording to claim 21, in which the step of upwardly displacing eachsuccessive lower bight portion includes drawing the pile yarns upwardlyto a position entirely above the upper face of the backing fabric sothat the lower bight portions are positioned upon the upper face of thebacking fabric.
 25. A method according to claim 21, wherein the step ofpositioning the stitching threads comprises looping a portion of eachstitching thread, extending from a previously formed lower bightportion, around one leg of a next succeeding lower bight portion andthrough the same, and then drawing the looped portion of the stitchingthread through a previously formed loop portion thereof, also extendingfrom the said previously formed lower bight portion, so as to form astitch interconnecting the previously formed and next succeeding lowerbight portions.
 26. A method according to claim 21, in which the formingof the pile yarns into pile tufts, the upward displacing of eachsuccessive lower bight portion and the inserting of the pile yarnsthrough the backing fabric collectively comprise drawing each pile yarnupwardly and then over and across a corresponding pile former and theninserting the same pile yarn downwardly through the backing fabric toform a corresponding loop over the pile former and to form acorresponding lower bight portion while tightening the pile yarn overthe pile former to pull upwardly a lower bight portion previously formedfrom the same pile yarn while also pulling upwardly a portion of thestitching thread passing through the said previously formed lower bightportion.
 27. A method according to claim 21, which includes looping eachpile yarn over a respective pile former and effecting relative lateralmovement therebetween during the forming of the tufts so as to formzig-zag loop pile tufts in each row.
 28. A method according to claim 21,wherein each pile yarn is continuous, and wherein the step Of insertingthe pile yarns through the backing fabric includes alternately insertingeach pile yarn at points laterally offset from intervening points atwhich the same pile yarn is inserted so that the tufts take the form ofzig-zag loops in each row.
 29. A method according to claim 28, whereinthe alternate inserting of each pile yarn at points laterally offsetfrom intervening points further includes inserting alternate lower bightportions of at least one of the pile yarns through the backing fabric inlongitudinal alignment with intervening lower bight portions of animmediately adjacent pile yarn of different characteristics than saidone of the pile yarns, and then severing zig-zag loops in both rows thusformed to transform such rows of loops into rows of cut pile tufts, witheach of the rows thus transformed having longitudinally aligned,alternately arranged, cut pile tufts of different characteristics.